Deadlines Make Things Happen – Weekly Theme: Transgender

A few years ago, my town in Colorado got hit hard by a flood, and the whole town was asked to move out of town until they could get the infrastructure repaired (water, sewer, electricity, gas).

While folks were out of town, myself included, I came back every two days and photographed what was going on, to give my neighbors an idea of how things were progressing, since they couldn’t see it for themselves.

I made a goal to get 20 different photographs every time I went in, so that I would be able to have something worthy to share.

Interestingly, when I had to get 20 photographs, I did get 20 photographs.  The need for the images made them appear.

Same for when I did a Humans of New York-type blog for my town, called I Am Lyons Colorado.  I’d post one every other day.  And I found the people to be in it, because it was due.

Both were published as books.

Deadlines make things happen. It’s my mantra, if you know me.

With that in mind, perhaps we could set a goal of shooting a roll a weekend.  Or a roll every two weeks–whatever amount works for you, but the goal is 24 or 36 frames of documentary photographs.  Or 12 frames if you’re shooting 120 film.

Then we can each go out with the express purpose of finding the photographs that make up our town on a given weekend, perhaps when more people are out and about.

I will post a weekly theme to possibly cover, if it’s something that is timely, and maybe it will be something you find accessible to you.  This week: Transgender people, military and not, and their place in your town, their home, their work.  I think there are many people who don’t understand what transgender even is. 

We’ll ultimately get more photographs made for the project, because they are due.